WELLINGTON, July 30 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand aims to increase the involvement of young people in civil defense and emergency services that enable them to grow and develop new skills while contributing to communities, Youth Minister Nikki Kaye said on Sunday.
"It's important we build our resilience as a nation to natural disasters and emergencies. This is a great way to get our young people involved in (these) opportunities," Kaye said in a statement.
Applications have opened for funding under the 100,000-NZ dollar (75,148-U.S. dollar) Youth in Emergency Preparedness Fund, which will support a national program run collaboratively by the Ministry of Youth Development and the Ministry of Civil Defense & Emergency Management.
This funding is expected to "pay dividends not just in terms of supporting the development of young people, but also in strengthening the safety and preparedness of communities across New Zealand," Kaye said.
Applications for funding are invited from schools, councils, youth organizations and regional civil defense and emergency management groups who identify opportunities to grow young people's skills and enhance local communities through the funding programs, she said.
The programs supported by the fund include encouraging young people to volunteer for and potentially follow a career path with emergency services such as fire, ambulance, coastguard and search and rescue, as well as fostering innovative ideas to encourage young people to get involved in civil defense and emergency management, Kaye said.
